Co-chair:
Dr. Karl Malcolm
Regional Wildlife Ecologist, Forest Service, Southwestern Regional Office
Tovar Cerulli
Clearwater Communications, LLC
What diverse values do our nation’s citizens hold regarding wildlife and nature?
What benefits do people enjoy due to the existence and management of robust natural systems?
How can we, as natural resources professionals and public servants, better connect with broader segments of the public through their values, and through the perceived and unperceived benefits they receive as products of our work and our shared ecological wealth?
These questions—which lie at the heart of every discussion of the societal relevance of conservation—have powerful implications both for people’s sense of connection with the natural world and for the political and fiscal support available to deliver conservation in the future.
Drawing on speakers’ rich and varied experiences and expertise, this session will explore several fundamental questions including these: 1) How can diverse public values, and diverse publics, be more proactively sought and honored in the management of public trust resources? 2) How can conservation leaders harness—and be an integral, engaged part of—relevant social trends to advance their conservation mission? 3) How can conservation professionals and partners identify pockets of opportunity for fostering impactful coalitions around shared values? 4) What progressive opportunities exist in a changing cultural landscape for traditional user groups to promote broader social relevance and a broader base of support for conservation while maintaining vital leadership roles?
For more information, view this recent article from WMI's Outdoor News Bulletin.